Stevens 200 accuracy problems

...
I seat the bullet so its just touching the lands. I used a match to blacken the tip and kept seating further out until I had a small ring on the tip of the bullet and then backed it out just a bit....

Lucas

Did you have a small ring, or the individual marks from the lands? The throat can wipe some of the black off a bullet and you might be a long way from the lands.

AJ

__________________
If some is good and more is better, then too much is just right.

My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives

The match trick is fine (I use a candle), just saying that you saw a 'ring' instead of the individual marks from the lands made me wonder, as the throat can wipe some of the black off and you won't be close to the lands yet.

Have you measured the cases before and after firing from the base to a point halfway up the shoulder? (headspace length, not overall length). If you haven't headspaced the barrel, it could be setup overly generous and you could be pushing the shoulder back too far when resizing (this will lead to short case life and can be a cause for poor accuracy).

A brake that isn't setup and reamed straight, can also cause poor accuracy (just like a bad crown). Thats why I'd shoot a couple groups without the brake, just to remove that from concern.

Also, have you bedded the action and free floated the barrel? (will a couple dollar bills slide under the barrel freely from the front of the stock back to the action?)

THe Stevens is completely stock save the Brake. Factory Stock comes free floating. 5 shot groups are circular and all fit within 2".
The Brake was installed by a local gunsmith who does great work Although I suppose its possible he goofed it up.

The cases from the first loading the the second barely lengthened at all and the shoulder shows no sings of wear. I also measured to shoulder between once fired and twice fired casing and there is no difference.

I don't mind the questions at all. Thats why I asked. I thought that the 200 was a better rifle than that from everything I read before I purchased it. I just assumed I was doing something wrong in the reloading process since everyone says there 200 shoots MOA out of the box with factory ammo.

OK, its all stock. Have you verified that it is free floated? Have you ever removed the action to see that everything is as it should be (everything clean under action, no mfg junk left un trimmed etc.

How are you shooting the rifle? Bipod, bags (front and rear).

Has someone else shot the rifle?

The plastic stock is very susceptible to slight pressure differences and can easily open a group because of its flex.

AJ

__________________
If some is good and more is better, then too much is just right.

My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives

I read through this tread twice and I haven't seen anyone question the scope or did I miss that?

Scope/mounts is where I would start. Do you know your scope is able to produce better than 2 moa? Those two screw windage rings/bases have been known to have problems. I've also had the front dovetail move especially if you've twisted the front ring in and out a few times.

The second on my list would be bedding.

Inspect everything from the outside in. If you don't you're chasing your tail.

Verified that it is Free-Floated over Lunch. I shoot for groupings off of a 16x32" sandbag and a rear sandbag. My Scope is a 2-7x Leupold Rifleman in Weaver bases and rings. All screws are tightened and have threadlocker on them.

I couldn't see any real wear on either lug as the gun is pretty new. The Bedding is Stock Stevens but I did take it apart and it was clean.

And you will have to enlighten me as to what neck runout is before I can check it. The cases have no shoulder problems after being fired twice and are barely stretching as I am not using maximum loads.

SHould I look into better mounts? The scope is brand new as I also suspected that the cheap scope I had on the rifle was the culprit. But my groups are still 2".